Much like the City’s successful planning efforts for previous Memorial Day weekends, the City prepared for the 2021 Memorial Day holiday weekend which took place Thursday, May 27, 2021, through Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Irrespective of any events and based upon early occupancy, it was anticipated that the number of visitors and tourists during the 2021 Memorial Day weekend would significantly strain City resources. Historically, the City has played host to more than 100,000 guests, visitors, and spectators on Miami Beach during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. As a result, enhanced and increased staffing is necessary across departments to ensure resident and visitor safety, and to protect quality of life and public welfare. Essential City employees work more than twelve (12) hours each day throughout the weekend.  The City Management Team, as well as various City departments, including, but not limited to, Code Compliance, Public Works, Sanitation, Tourism and Culture, Fire/Rescue, and the Police Department work through the weekend during various shifts, to provide necessary support and oversight.

During the 2021 Memorial Day weekend, the City hosted a number of events including: The National Salute to America’s Heroes Air & Sea Show which utilized a large footprint on the beach and Lummus Park. In addition, the City hosted several curated cultural programming and entertainment events. Various hotels throughout the city as identified in Exhibit A attached to the resolution, offered to donate standard hotel rooms to help reduce travel time and keep essential City employees readily accessible during the weekend.  These donations were provided to the City, for official business associated with efforts for the 2021 Memorial Day weekend. 

The City Administration recommends that the City Commission retroactively approve and authorize the City’s acceptance of the aforestated donations, and authorize the City Manager, or her designee, to make any necessary reimbursements and/or expenditures of the aforestated donation in furtherance of, and consistent with, the aforestated event and purpose.